Out of all the organ meats and “odd bits”, liver is the one that packs the most nutrition. If you can only eat one organ meat, this is the one to try.

Compared ounce for ounce, liver is the most nutritional organ meat on the planet. Some say the most nutritional food bar none.

“Liver has ranked above all other offal as one of the most prized culinary delights. Its heritage is illustrious–whether savored by young warriors after a kill or mixed with truffles and cognac for fine patés de foie gras.” Margaret Gin and Jana Allen, Innards and Other Variety Meats (San Francisco, 1974)

Why Eat Liver?

In summary, liver provides:

An excellent source of high-quality protein

A concentrated source of vitamin A

All the B vitamins, noticeably vitamin B12

Carnitine and lipoic acid

Levels of folate and choline

Minerals such as phosphorous, potassium, and iron

Trace elements such as copper, zinc and magnesium

CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function

Liver is one of the richest sources of Vitamin A1 which serves a vital role in many bodily functions:

Vitamin A has traditionally been understood to promote healthy vision, promote healthy fertility in males and females, and allow for proper embryonic development.

More recently, researchers have found vitamin A to be important to many other processes. These include preventing childhood mortality,1 preventing childhood asthma,2,3 promoting pubertal development4 protecting against oxidative stress,5 protecting against environmental toxins,6preventing kidney stones,7 regulating the amount of fat tissue in the body,8 regulating blood sugar,9and protecting against fatty liver disease.10Almost one third (27 percent) of Americans surveyed in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey had vitamin A intakes below 50 percent of the RDA.11

Even the RDA may be too low — we still do not know what the optimal intake of vitamin A is, especially with respect to its more newly discovered roles.

Is Liver Safe?

One of the roles of the liver is to neutralize toxins (such as drugs, chemical agents and poisons); but the liver does not store toxins. Poisonous compounds that the body cannot neutralize and eliminate are likely to lodge in the fatty tissues and the nervous system. The liver is not a storage organ for toxins but it is a storage organ for many important nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron). These nutrients provide the body with some of the tools it needs to get rid of toxins.

Of course, we should consume liver from healthy animals–cattle, lamb, buffalo, hogs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. The best choice is liver from animals that spend their lives outdoors and on pasture. If such a premier food is not available, the next choice is organic chicken, beef and calves liver.

I find organ meats are generally more affordable than steaks, ribs and other more well known cuts. In some cases, our clients have sourced offal from a local supplier for free! Depending where you live it may take a little digging to find a trustworthy source but it is well worth it.

Love your article and I shall read a lot more from your site! I stopped eating organs because here where I live in the UK it’s impossible to find meat from grass-fed, free to roam, outdoor raised animals. Which is a real shame as organ meat is so nutritious and tasty. As for cheaper cuts of meat, have you ever had beef or pig cheeks? Absolutely delicious and inexpensive, around 85p for 3 pig cheek pieces. If you braise them (slow cook) for 1.5-2 hours in a little stock and seasoning, they turn into a melt-in-the-mouth delicious meal. I have a keto recipe on my blog you might like to check out http://queenketo.com/low-carb-cheeky-sticky-pork-chops/. Will your book be available as a kindle version anytime soon?